Richland denied title shot by Lake Co.

Cody Jordan missed a free throw with 0.8 seconds left to play allowing the Falcons to escape with a 52-51 win over the Raiders in the semifinals of the Class A Boys BlueCross Basketball Championships Friday afternoon.

“We kept fighting and gave ourselves a chance,” said Richland coach Jason Loveless. “They played to the end. We just got beat by a great basketball team.”

With the win, Lake County (10-23) advances to the Class A state championship game against Humboldt (28-6), a 64-58 winner over Wartburg Central, at 4 p.m. Saturday. The Falcons are thought to be the first team in TSSAA history to play for a state title with a losing record.

“The record that matters right now is that we are 2-0 (in the state tournament),” said Lake County coach Dawn Barger. “It doesn’t matter what has happened throughout the season. Whatever happened in the season is what helped us get to this point.”

The loss ends a historic season for Richland (29-7), which was playing in the state tournament for the first time since 1990.

“We win as a team and we lose as team,” said Jordan, who finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds. “We always pick each other up because we are a family. This loss doesn’t change that.”

Jordan’s missed free throw capped a wild fourth quarter, which saw the teams exchange the lead four times.

The Raiders led by four points twice in the fourth quarter, the final time coming on a layup from Jacob Farrar with 1:42 left to play.

Lake County quickly tied things up as Raheem Flowers hit a pair of free throws coupled with Zay Coleman’s layup following his steal to even the score at 48-48 with 1:15 remaining.

Jordan hit 1-of-2 free throws with 1:01 left to play give Richland the lead back. However, a pull-up jumper from Coleman, who scored a game-high 22 points, gave the Falcons the lead for good at 50-49 with 45.4 seconds left to play.

Neither team scored again until Coleman hit a pair of free throws with 6.8 seconds remaining to extend Lake County’s lead to 52-49.

“I just knew my team needed me to come through for them,” Coleman said. “I just tried to keep my confidence and made the baskets when I needed them.”

Following Coleman’s free throws, the Falcons decided to foul rather than allow the Raiders to attempt a potential game-tying 3-pointer on their final possession.

The strategy sent Richland’s Jordan to line with 3.5 seconds remaining. Jordan hit the first free throw before intentionally missing the second attempt, which was rebounded by teammate Zach Davis, who was fouled with 1.9 seconds remaining.

Davis missed both of his free throw attempts, but Jordan was able to corral the rebound before being fouled on his putback attempt. Jordan calmly hit the first free throw attempt, but the second one was off the mark and Lake County’s Justin Kimble was able to pull down the rebound and secure the win for the Falcons.

“It definitely wasn’t how I drew it up,” Barger said of the wild finish. “This team just has heart and a belief in each other. These kids just want to win.”

The first half was nearly as wild as the finish featuring one run after another starting with Lake County’s 15-0 surge that gave the Falcons 15-2 lead.

Richland immediately countered as a 3-pointer from Jordan that sparked a 12-0 run, which pulled the Raiders within 15-14 with 5:15 left in the first half.

“We weren’t going to get buried,” Loveless said. “These guys are warriors. Their experience played a big role. I knew they weren’t going to quit.”

Not to be outdone, a 3-pointer from Flowers was the catalyst for a 9-0 run that stretched Lake County’s lead back out to 24-14 with 1:51 remaining in the second quarter.

Fittingly, Richland answered as four points from Bret Boatright, who scored a team-high 17, allowed the Raiders to score the final six points of the second quarter to cut their deficit to 24-20 halftime. The surge sparked a 14-1 run that carried over into the third quarter setting up the dramatic second half.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Loveless was incredibly proud of what his team accomplished this season.

“I know as a person and a coach, I am forever indebted to these guys,” Loveless said. “I spent seven years of my life with them and they spent seven years putting up with me. Even thought it’s not how we wanted it to end, it’s where we wanted it to end.”

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